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How to determine suitable animal models of anxiety disorders and post-traumatic stress disorders (PTSD) for screening anxiolytic drugs and linking preclinical and clinical research is a crucial issue. This review paper provides background knowledge and critical determination to the animal models for discussing this issue. Moreover, this article analyzes the characteristics, properties, advantages, and disadvantages of various animal models of anxiety disorders and PTSD. It offers an overview of the pathophysiology, treatments, prevalence, and symptoms of anxiety disorders in the clinics. Furthermore, it comprehensively discusses pharmacological treatments and neural mechanisms, as well as the types and properties of the animal models of anxiety disorders in shaping and testing anxiety behaviors. In light of the previous literature discussion, we can understand the different functions of the animal models of anxiety disorders and PTSD to help us link preclinical and clinical research. Animal models are used in advanced drug discovery programs, specifically in psychiatry and neuroscience research. The challenge for the future will be to keep pace with developing the appropriate animal models of anxiolytic drugs to improve the translation of large datasets obtained to clinics. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Attention deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) is defined as a neurodevelopmental condition. The precise underlying mechanisms remain incompletely elucidated. A body of research suggests disruptions in both the cellular architecture and neuronal function within the brain regions of individuals with ADHD, coupled with disturbances in the biochemical parameters. This study seeks to evaluate the morphological characteristics with a volume measurement of the striatal regions and a neuron density assessment within the studied areas across different developmental stages in Spontaneously Hypertensive Rats (SHRs) and Wistar Kyoto Rats (WKYs). Furthermore, the investigation aims to scrutinize the levels and activities of specific markers related to immune function, oxidative stress, and metabolism within the striatum of juvenile and maturing SHRs compared to WKYs. The findings reveal that the most pronounced reductions in striatal volume occur during the juvenile stage in SHRs, alongside alterations in neuronal density within these brain regions compared to WKYs. Additionally, SHRs exhibit heightened levels and activities of various markers, including RAC-alpha serine/threonine-protein kinase (AKT-1), glucocorticoid receptor (GCsRβ), malondialdehyde (MDA), sulfhydryl groups (-SH), glucose (G), iron (Fe), lactate dehydrogenase (LDH). alanine transaminase (ALT), and aspartate transaminase (AST). In summary, notable changes in striatal morphology and elevated levels of inflammatory, oxidative, and metabolic markers within the striatum may be linked to the disrupted brain development and maturation observed in ADHD. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The present study examined how P2X7 receptor knockout (KO) modulates central post-stroke pain (CPSP) induced by lesions of the ventrobasal complex (VBC) of the thalamus in behaviors, molecular levels, and electrical recording tests. Following the experimental procedure, the wild-type and P2X7 receptor KO mice were injected with 10 mU/0.2 μL type IV collagenase in the VBC of the thalamus to induce an animal model of stroke-like thalamic hemorrhage. Behavioral data showed that the CPSP group induced thermal and mechanical pain. The P2X7 receptor KO group showed reduced thermal and mechanical pain responses compared to the CPSP group. Molecular assessments revealed that the CPSP group had lower expression of NeuN and KCC2 and higher expression of GFAP, IBA1, and BDNF. The P2X7 KO group showed lower expression of GFAP, IBA1, and BDNF but nonsignificant differences in KCC2 expression than the CPSP group. The expression of NKCC1, GABAa receptor, and TrkB did not differ significantly between the control, CPSP, and P2X7 receptor KO groups. Muscimol, a GABAa agonist, application increased multiunit numbers for monitoring many neurons and [Cl−] outflux in the cytosol in the CPSP group, while P2X7 receptor KO reduced multiunit activity and increased [Cl−] influx compared to the CPSP group. P2X4 receptor expression was significantly decreased in the 100 kDa but not the 50 kDa site in the P2X7 receptor KO group. Altogether, the P2X7 hypothesis of CPSP was proposed, wherein P2X7 receptor KO altered the CPSP pain responses, numbers of astrocytes and microglia, CSD amplitude of the anterior cingulate cortex and the medial dorsal thalamus, BDNF expression, [Cl−] influx, and P2X4 expression in 100 kDa with P2X7 receptors. The present findings have implications for the clinical treatment of CPSP symptoms. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Contemporary understanding of brain functions provides a way to probe into the mystery of creativity. However, the prior evidence regarding the relationship between creativity and brain wave patterns reveals inconsistent conclusions. One possible reason might be that the means of selecting creative individuals in the past has varied in each study. By distinguishing creative potential as open-ended versus closed-ended based on theoretical views, this study examined different brain wave patterns and cortical control abilities in relation to different creative potentials by using electroencephalogram (EEG) biofeedback equipment. The results demonstrated that participants' performance on the open-ended creative problem was positively related to EEG alpha frequencies, whereas performance on the closed-ended creative problem was related to larger variability in EEG dynamics between alpha and beta waves when performing either open-ended or closed-ended creativity tasks. Further, better control in changing states of brain wave activities according to the EEG biofeedback signals could predict closed-ended creativity performance. Open-ended creativity was related only to the enhancement of alpha signals. These results help clarify previous inconsistent findings, reveal different natures of distinct creativities, and further suggest ways to improve different aspects of creativity with modified biofeedback procedures.